The Sun. — London, England, 1864-01-23 00:00:00

THE SOUTIIERN CONFEDERACY. hardly be stated to any sensible man or woman. If the Federal officers coLils in the Libby could be admitted to a sight of the heartrendia4 letters which I have read from Confederate otaera con- fined on J9hnson's Island, they would face their lot with a little more manliness, and no - , aggravate trials already sufficiently irksome by permitting themselves to imagine that their sufferings are ex ceptional and peculiar, and such as were never borne by any other prisoners of war upon earth. Fur the present it will be sufficient to state that I hope shortly to give such facts and statistics as will esta blish, at least to the satisfaction of Europe, the true condition of the unhappy starvelings whose ima ginary agonies have been such a rich mine to the press, and especially to the illustrated journals, of New York. ThompSOD. (From Me Sp6eial Correspondent of he Tiwe.s.) RICHMOND, Dec. 21, 1863. It is a ;jugular commentary upon the brilliant engineering capacity of Gen. Gilmore, of which so much has been said in Northern journals, that after one of the costliest sieges on record, and after the loss of hundreds of lives, and the expenditure of mountains of projectiles, he has attained no result greater than was within his reach so far back as Sane, 1862. It will appear hardly credible that before the battle of Secessionville it was competent for the Federals to establish batteries as near to the heart of the city of Charleston as is the situa tion of their present betteries on Morris Island nt Cernming's Point. It should be understood by your readers that there is on James's Island, near the Stone) River, to the west of Secessionville, a church, which lies a distance of precisely four and a half miles from St. Michael's Church, in the centre of Charleston. This church was occupied by the Federals before the battle of Secessionville in June of last year. It was again occupied by them before their attack upon Battery Wagner on the 10th of July of the current year. Upon the 16th of last July the Confederates attacked the Federal garrison which held the church in question, and, inasmuch as the garrison consisted almost entirely of black troops, little difficulty was ex perienced by the Confederates in recovering the position. At the same moment Gilmore's main force was doing desperate fighting and cannonad ing, which resulted at the end of 58 days in land ing him at a point equidistant from Charleston with that which he had evacuated almost without struggle on Jaly 16, 1863. It will readily be believed that since July the Confederates have not been idle in providing against the danger of this point falling again into Federal hands. I um assured that the ecience of defensive military engineering has been exhausted in securing James and Sullivan's Islands from the possibility of suc cessful attack. There is, I have little reason to doubt, but one possible avenue bywhich the Federals can indulge the venom of the Atlantic ...Ifontlly, so often shed and projected against Charleston, and enable the writers in its pages to sow the ruins of that hated city with salt. It will be by landing 50,000 men on the South Carolina coast, by seizing upon the Charleston and Savannah Railroad and advancing along it upon the former city. It may be imagined, before such an attempt can be success ful, what an amount of labour, time, and money it will exact. Any other Government on earth, save that which has attempted to canalise the Missis sippi, and to secure its free navigation by supplying fresh steamers upon its waters quicker than they can be burnt by the enemy, would be aghast at the stupendous magnitude of such a task as supplying the requisite transport for this enterprise, and estab lishing the necessary supply depots at Hilton Head and Port Royal. Vengeance is doubtless as sweet to Boston as to any other city on earth, but gene rations yet unborn will wince under their expe rience of the burden laid on their shoulders by such men as Mr. Everitt. It needs but the folly of a few additional enterprises like the attempted cap ture of Charleston by land to make the burden heavier than future generations can bear. It seems to me that whenever and if ever reason ableness and sobriety resume their sway in Boston and New York, the siege of Charleston, as con ducted by the Federals, will be looked on as one of the most stupendous follies ever witnessed upon earth. In order to attain to such a success as is in volved in the ability to throw Greek fire into Charleston from a distance of four miles and a half, and in order to stop a great port of entry for blockade runners, a sum of money has been lavished which would purchase the whole State of South Carolina. It is probably known in England long before this time that the Greek fire is not more formidable than a child's Christmas crackers ; it will probably be known hereafter that Charleston, as a port of entry for blockade-running vessels, will do as much busi ness in 1864 as she did in 1862. Bat, putting spite, venom, and vengeance out of the question, I believe that never upon caeth was an enterprise undertaken in which the object sought possessed a value so dis proportionate to the price which it exacted for its attainment. The payment of this price by the Fede rals, unrewarded though it has hitherto been by any encouraging success, is the measure, not of the value which they attach to the possession of the city of Charleston in ruins, but of the grudge which ever since the days of Andrew Jackson the Northern States, and pre-eminently New England, have nursed and cherished against the home of" nullifi cation," the cradle of Secession. Again I feel tempted to raise a warning voice about the disparity of the armament on board of the English and American navies. It is impossible for those who have been many months absent from England to be well informed as to the actual state of public opinion at the present moment upon this vital subject. But, judging from the officers of her Majesty's navy who have at rare intervals brought vessels of war into Confederate ports, it appears still to be held that the 6S-pounders or S-inch smooth bore is England's best weapon of offence against iron clad vessels. The experience gained at Charleston enables me confidently to affirm that as well might you pelt one of the Yankee Monitors or Ironsides with peas as expect them to be in any way damaged by 8-inch shot. Another disagreeable question forces itself upon an Englishman's attention when he is cogni sant of the terrific broadside thrown by the eight 11-inch guns of the Ironsides—ono of the most formidable broadsides, in the opinion of the de fenders of Charleston, which has ever been thrown by any vessel upon earth. Have we any ship in existence which could successfully resist such a broadside, and respond to it with anything like commensurate weight and vigour ? I should be faithless to my duty if I did not mention that :t is the universal opinion of all the English officers serving in the Confederate army with whom I have conversed that England is behind America in the weight and power of the guns sent by both nations to sea. It is still a matter of the greatest surprise to those who are cognisant of the endless experi ments in guns and projectiles which are every day made by the Federal and Confederate States that England has not thought it worth her while to attach to the armies of both nations such a commis sion as M'Clellau had in the Crimean War, with a view to their gaining such scientific information with regard to ordnance and projectiles as at this m. foment can be gained nowhere else on earth. It my convi c ti on th a t f rom b o th se ctions such com missioners would receive nothing but courteous and unreserved information upon all that it imported them to know. It is scarcely creditable to our Government that they should be blind to the oppor tunities for gaining information which this gigantic conflict affords, or that from Old World pride they should refuse to avail themselves of the experience to be derived from a continent destined henceforth and evermore to play no secondary part in the drama of the world. _ It is my intention in my next letter to give full details of my recent visit to the Libby Prison and Belle Isle, In the meantime, I will content myself with stating that, in my belief, prisoners of war hive seldom been more tenderly treated than are the 1,040 Federal officers now held captive in the Libby. There was at one moment a great deficiency of the Commissary-General's stores at Richmond, occaskned by temporary causes, and of not more than four days' duration. During these four days the prisoners experienced what has again and again been endured unmurmuringly by Confederate sol diers in the field, and wereobliged to live entirely upon farinaceous food. Loud as have been the out cries in Yankeedom about their starving prisoners, there has been no less uproar in the Confederate Congress against Commissary - General Northrup, by reason of the deprivation of meat which, during these four days , he infli cted upon the prisoners. Mr. Foote, the Thersites of the South ern C ongress , has made the rafters ring with his denunciations of President Davis, who is understood to be a friend of Mr. Northrup, and who for divers reasons is especially obnoxious to Mr. Foote. It will not, in my opinion, be possible for the New York journal s i to awaken a fresh burst of European ndiwnatien by factitious representations of miseries which have no existence in fact. That the condition of a pri soner of war is at best trice. and unenviab lo need The presence for the last ten days of General Lee in Richmond has led to many rumours of his being about to go to the West, but, as I mentioned in my letter of the 14th inst., the appointment of General Joseph G. Johnston to fill the post vacated by General Bragg has been for some time past decided. It is understood that throughout the deliberations which have preceded this appointment Gen. John ston's claims have been warmly urged by General Lee. And here let 111 a do justice to the patriotism and unselfishness of General Bragg's bearing since his " decapitation," which have been such as all those who were best acquainted with his character expected at his hands. Without rancune, with generous cordiality and warmth, he has offered to fill the post of Chief of the Staff to General John ston or General Lee—the same post which at the commencement of the war he so successfully filled under General A. Sidney Johnson. I believe that nothing is as yet settled with regard to the post to which General Bragg will be appointed. The cor respondence with the War department in which General Bragg has recently played so creditable a part will hereafter, when made known to his coun trymen, recommend him to their favour in a degree of which they are at present unable to form any conception. The military movements of the past week have been of little moment, unless (as is at this moment hoped rather than expected) they should end in the capture of the Federal Cavalry General Averill, who has struck boldly into the heart of Virginia, and inflicted some damage, though not much, upon the Virginia and Tennessee railroad at Salem sta tion, It is along this railroad which connects Lynchburg with Bristol in Tennessee, that the supplies for General Longstreet's army—or rather such supplies as he cannot gather on the spot where his army is stationed—are forwarded to him. It is hoped that General Fitz Lee, one of the most active of the cavaliers of Virginia, will be in time to cut off General Averill's retreat ; but such is the length of the frontier line over which it is possible for the Federals to retire that I have little expectation of the attainment of this result. Gen. Longstreet has during the past week given a hug to a small portion of a Federal force, which was making believe to pursue him, and would apparently have inflicted material damage upon them had not a great rise in the Holston River forbidden the Confederate cavalry to cross and intercept the Federal retreat. Nothing is, I suspect, further from Gen. Longstreet's intention than to leave to Gen. Burnside the unmolested possession of Knoxville during the present winter. The withdrawal from around Chattanooga and Northern Georgia of Federal troops still continues, and is by some ex pected to lead to the evacuation of Knoxville and East Tennessee. It is evident that some important development of Federal strategy is in progress, and the large number of transports and their activity on the Potomac are suggestive either of some attempt upon Richmond by water, or of a descent upon Charleston. Be the programme of the Aulic Council at Washington what it may, it will, I apprehend, be impossible for them to permit the winter months to wear inactively away. There are signs which in dicate unmistakably that the unanimity of the Washington Congress about the prosecution of the was is a thing of the past. It is idle to talk about a large portion of the Federal army, which is about to disband in May,being willing to enlist again. There are too many Federal prisoners in the South, and too great uniformity of opinion among them about their own future conduct when their time of service will be up, to admit of any doubt as to what the conduct of their comrades under similar circum stances will be. Unless that mighty Battle of Armageddon, which has incessantly danced before the dazzled vision of the North, is fought between the present moment and the Ides of May, let all hope of aggressive warfare be abandoned by the Federals. It is true that they may be strong enough to repel invasion, and to maintain the blockade of their enemy's ports for years to come, but it is doubt ful whether such an amount of unanimity as will be requisite to enable them even to preserve this atti tude can be secured for 12 months more. In the meantime, if ever England, under the guidance of Mr. Cobden and Mr. Beecher, has been led to be lieve that this is honestly a war for the abolition of slavery, what will be said when it is known that the motion of Mr. Rollins, of Missouri, to the effect that " Th;s war is not waged in any spirit of oppression, nor for any purpose of conquest or subjection, nor for the purpose of overthrowing and interfering with the rights of established institutions in those States," was recently carried in the House of Representatives at Washington by a mejority of 115 votes against 52 P The winter has already worn half away, and none of the terrible trials which were bespoken for the Confederate States by Southern croakers and Northern threateners have as yet made themselves felt. With true English heartiness, Virginia is put ting on her Christmas garb, and if the social condi tion of Richmond were canvassed at this moment, I should say that exception might reasonably be taken on the ground rather of an excess than of a shortcoming of merriment. The markets of the present winter are unquestionably more abundunt hitherto than were those of last winter; oysters, game, venison, poultry are offered in the greatest profusion. Irish potatoes are almost a drug, and, as I predicted, are served out with the rations of the Virginian army in the field. Prices have ceased to be weighed and considered ; the Confederate dollar is worth about twopence English, and is so regarded by everybody, for everybody has dollars in abundance. The temper of Congress on the ques tion of the war is stern and unyielding as was that of the Roman Senate after Canree ; but I fear that I must be permitted to express a doubt whether they aro fitter to deal with the difficult question of their currency than was the French National Con vention to cope with the analogous embarrassment of their assignats. He, however, who should fancy that this war will be stopped by the breaking down of a financial system upon either side cannot be other than a sorry judge of human nature, and poorly versed in the teachings of history. If there be any misnomer on earth, it is that which makes money synonymous with the sinews of war. Never yet was war stopped by the impecuniosity of belli gerents ; least of all in a country blessed with such abundance as this continent, where ail that is requ. site for the wants of man is lavished upon him with matchless bounty, where the clouds drop fatness and the valleys laugh and sing, and where all that was wanted to secure prospectively to a third of the human race such contentment and happiness as have been denied to Europe was the presence of two Qualities of which, more than any other nation, Americans are bereft —humility and moderation. ADVERTISEMENT.]—Avoid medicines: they always aggra vate chronic complaints, but Du Barry's Delicious Health Restoring Revalenta Arabica Food, which saves fifty times its cost in other remedhes, invariably cures them, restoring perfect digestion. strong nerves, sound lungs, healthy liver, pure blood, refreshing sleep, functional regularity, and energy to the most disordered or enfeebled. We extract a few out of 60,000 Cures :—Cure No. 55,216 of the Marchioness de Brehan, Paris, of a liver complaint, wasting away for seven years, debility, with a nervous palpitation all over, bad digestion, constant sleeplessness, the most intolerable nervous agitation, and dreadfully low spirited.—Cure No. 1,771. Lord Stuart de Decies, Lord Lieut. of Waterford, of many years' dyspepsia.—No. 49,832- " Fifty years' indescribable agony from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation, flatulency, spasms, sickness, and vomiting.—Maria Jolly." —Cure No. 46,270. Mr. James Roberts, of Frimley, Surrey, of thirty years' diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver derange • ment, and partial deafness.—Cure No. 47,121. 11liss Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion, gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies.—Cure No. 54,816. The Rev. Jas, T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, "of indigestion and torpi dity of the liver, which had resiste i all medical treatment" In tins, 1 lb., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d ; 51b., lls. ; 121 b., 225. ; 9 .41 b 40s.—Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-street, London; also Fortnum and Mason ; and all Grocers and Chemists in every town of the United liihgc.om. Complimentary Soiree to Mr, George A complimentary soiree was given in the Manchester Town Hall, on Thursday evening, to Mr. Geo. Thompson, the well-known advocate of negto emancipation, prior to his departure to America. About 500 persons were present, and the chair was taken by Mr. Geo. Wilson.—The Chair man said that since Manchester elected to lose the first place in the house of Commons by the rejection of its represen- tAtives, he had preferred to see the exposition of his politics at Ashton, Rochdale, and Birmingham—but he could scarcely have acquitted himself of the calls of conscience if he had remained absent from that meeting, because, consi • daring Mr. Thompson's great services to the country and to freedom, he esteemed that gentleman to hold a place in the front rank of all living men.—Mr. T. 11. Barker read an address to Mr. Thompson, beautifully illuminated on vel lum, and encased in morocco leather. It commenced with an acknowledgment of the 30 years' services which Mr. Thompson had devoted to " every advanced movement for the welfare of the human race, but pre-eminently in the caase of freedom." "Whoever the foe, whatever the diffi culty, he had always been the steadfast friend and defender of liberty and justice, His elle pen and eloquent tongue had always been at the service of the true friends of universal emancipation. His name was not unknown to the friends and foes of liberty in the Federal Republic of America. Associated with the name of William Lloyd Garrison, the name of George Thompson had become a cherished house hold word in the homes of that kindred and friendly nation, On this cccasion he would visit America under circum- stances, and with prospects very different from those he encountered on his two previous visits. Within the last three or four years it might be said that a nation had been born again in the cause of freedom. " That noble martyr liberty, John Brown, the hero of Harper's Ferry, by his magnanimous devotion, sent a thrill of new impulse to the nation's heart of hearts. The moral electricity of that and am soon to visit them again, also those at AlexanOria. But 1 am filling my letter with contrabands,' and in'iu:d 1 might write a volume about them, if I bad time, ond you required it to deepen your interest in my long•enelttved people," grand human soul, not only galvanised the shareholders o the South, but awakened to now life, to new purpose, and to new hope the drooping spirits of the freemen of the North. Had it not been for that immolation on the altar of liberty and patriotism, honest Abraham Lincoln could not have been elected President of the Union, nor have been enabled to become the second deliverer of the nation, and the holy cause of negro emancipation would have gone back probably half a century, It was the crisis of the nation's utmost social, political, and moral need, and the providence of God raised up a man who had a heart and a conscience above the tricks of politicians and the subtleties of diplomacy." George Washington gave the American nation the precious boon of independence; Abraham Lincoln conferred a more inestimable blessing, by proclaiming the Federal nation henceforth the home of universal freedom. Though the great work was not fully and finally accomplished, the foundation of true national freedom was laid, and the day was at hand when the top-stone should be raised amid the plaudits of every free nation throughout the world.—Mr. Ernest Jones moved the adoption of the address. He said that, and all the efforts in which Mr. Thompson had been engaged, the one which he had been most gloriously associated, was the struggle for the emancipation of negro slavery. He would now go to America as an ambassador, to draw' the links of friendship still closer. His entry into the States would not be a mere isolated, individual act. The Americans would recognise in him one who represented as largely as any man the feelings and the virtues of the English people.—Mr. Charles Thompson seconded the adoption of the address, which was supported by Mr. J. H. Estcourt, Dr. Pankhurst, the Rev. J. C. Street, and Dr. John Watts, and adopted.—Mr. George Thompson, who was received with loud cheers, rose to accept the address. Ile said that ho left England with the consciousness of having been no place hunter ; ho had never asked to be rewarded for his efforts for the weal of this country. He did not leave England a disappointed man, nor with any desire to cast reflections on his country, for with all her faults ho loved her still, He did not go to America in the expectation, or with the view of receiving a welcome when he landed there, or with the hope of having a seat on the floor of Congress, or receiving an invitation to dine with Mr. Chase, Mr. Seward, or Mr. Lincoln. What drew him with the most strength to America was the wish to meet a cherished few who were the pioneers in the great and glorious movement of negro emanci pation. That cause had enlisted his sympathies from his earliest years; it increased when as a boy he went to the Freemason's -hall, London, to listen to the dulcet tones of Wilberforce, and the magnificent eloquence of the now deceased Henry Brougham, for Lord Brougham lived, but Henry Brougham was dead. (Applause.) Twenty -nine years ago, and shortly after his first public appearance in Man chester, he (Mr. Thompson) visited America. Ile was hunted about that country like a partridge upon the mountains, a reward was set upon his capture, and gallows were even erected at his door. But he who was " spewed" out of America 29 years ago, should return to see that mighty people in its right mind, bringing forth " fruit meet to re pentance" in the shape of freedom to the race they once abased. If he had the opportunity he should represent to Mr. Lincoln the feelings of this country towards tho Northern States ; and though he was absent from England in body, he should be here in spirit, and take interest in her. wafare.—Mr. J. Patten and Mr. Glaz_hrook presented an address from the Ashton-under-Lyne Union and Emancipation Society. It acknowledged the services which Mr. Thompson had ren dered to the cause of negro emancipation, and his zealous advocacy and defence of the great principles of political and social reform, of his assistance to secure a suitable administration to guard the interests of British India, and of his advocacy of the repeal of the corn laws. The society rejoiced to have had his counsel and co-operation during the present American rebellion. They sincerely hoped he might have a pleasant and speedy voyage, and that he would be welcomed by thousands of generous hearts when he reached America—the future refuge of the liberties of mankind. Mr. G. Thompson brh fly acknow ledged the compliment that had been paid him by his friends at Ashton, and after the mzeting, hid :been ad dressed by Captain T. M. Chester, a coloured man from Liberia, the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 23, 1864. The Prospects of the Negro in Americo, The following is an extract from a letter sent by Frederick Douglas to a friend in Leeds, dated Ro- chester, U.S., Dec. 29, 1863: " I never was listened to with such attention as now. My leading idea now before the people is, 6 No war bu an abolition war ; no peace but an abolition psace.' The Government and people still need line upon line and pre cept upon preecept. At Washington, a few evenings ago, where I went to deliver two lectures in aid of the contra bands or freedmen, and where I raised more than 100 dollars for them, the house was densely packed by white and coloured people, and the papers say that 2000 went away unable to gain admission. Now, think of me in Washington, where three years ago I should have been murdered in ten minutes had I dared to open my mouth for my enslaved people. While in Washington I was taken by Mr. James Wormley over to the Virginia side, to visit the contraband village on the estate of the rebel General Lee, known as Arlington Heights. All around were striking proofs of retribution. Here we see the proud mansion of the rebel slaveholder occupied by common soldiers and by his former slaves; his fences in ruias ; his noble ancestral trees, the pride of generations, cut down ; his once beautifully winding lane, over which ho rolled in pride and splendour, all cut up by the wheels of army waggons ; his formerly richly furnished parlours are now occupied by soldiers, and the whole premises hear marks of desolation. I should have been deeply sad over the ruin but for the thought that this was the reward of iniquity—a righteous retribution—a wise and necessary chastisement of crimes unrepentecl, prise • trated against the weak, the ignorant. and the defenceless. I went to the gentlemen's ' Smoke House :' there I saw dear little children, some of them nearly white, and possibly more nearly related to the General than he would be will ing to own. They were too small to be taken south in his flight, and had been left on the place with a few old slaves, who were too old to be taken, and not wanted. The little children in the ' Smoke House' were being taught to read. The ' Smoke House' had become the school house, and the property of the pupils. Taking a book in my hand, I said to one little fellow, `Can you spell where your book is opened? 'Yes, sir,' he answered. I pronounced ' abandon' which was the first word in the column. He spelt it off with a look of triumph and pride that ho could do it with such ease. Had the past participle been added, the word might be the crying word of the slave system of Arlington Heights. I tried to make a few encouraging remarks to these dear little children and their teachers, and left for the ' freed men's village,' about a mile from the mansion of General Lee, situated on the south part of his plantation. This place is the temporary home for slave women, children, and old slaves, who were abandoned and deserted by their mas ters on the approach of the loyal army. Others, too, are here who have made good their escape, after having en dured untold hardships and perils in their efforts to reach our lines. More than a thousand here have thus gained their freedom and aro beginning life with nothing but the few rags upon their persons with which they made their escape, Of course they are in great destitution; much has been done for them, but they need much more. Regular religious exercises are held among them every Sunday, and now they have a day school established, from which much good may be expected. I wish you could see this school. Whan I was there there were 100 children in it, the de scendants of slaves, so held for many generations, going back more than 200 years. The sight of these poor little children brought tears of joy, sadness, hope, and fear, and I know not what else. Three years ago to have taught these children in Virginia would have subjected the teacher to a heavy fine and to imprisonment. Now teachers and pupils are alike safe. I thought and felt much as I looked upon and listened to those black children. I thought of the gene. rations of the race which had preceded thorn, sent from time to eternity in the dark, and not even allowed to learn to read the name of Heaven ; I thbught how much further these children might have boon advanced had their ancestors enjoyedithe privileges now . opening (heaven grant that they be not shut) before them. The teachers (Mr. and Mrs. Simmons) kindly asked me to address the children. I complied, and sang two or three hymns with them, I enjoyed the intorviow more than I can express, RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE, LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST. The report of the directors to the meeting on the 29th inst. has been published. The amount of capital raised on the 31st December, 1863, is £11,708,971, consisting of— Ordinary stock and shares, £1,885,629 ; preferential stock, £3,991,911; mortgage debt, £1,377,375 ; debenture stock, £1,254,059 ; total, £11,708,974. The amount of capital ex pended during the half-year is £625,580, of which full par ticulars appear in the capital account annexed. The issue of debenture stock continues, and the reduction of interest on the mortgage debt has reached a point which leaves the whole of the loan capital bearing a rate of interest which scarcely exceeds 4 per cent. The gross revenue has been £537,160, showing a diminution of £13,401, when compared with the corresponding half-year, The directors, in an nouncing so large a reduction, cannot forget that it was hardly unexpected, inasmuch as the comparison is with the exceptional period of the International Exhibition of 1862. Besides this, it is to be attributed to a considerable extent to the great reduction of fares which took place on the let of August last, whilst, considering the short period during which it has been in force, that reduction could not be com- pensated for by the augmentation which experience proves to have always followed diminution of charges, and of which the realisation must not be expected until time has been given to produce this unfailing result. The directors, however, remain of opinion that the policy which they adopted will ultimately be productive of benefit to the com • pally, and secure its prosperity, and they consider that at no time has the undertaking been in a more sound and satisfactory state as regards its territorial position. They trust, therefore, that the proprietors will share their con viction that the present reduction of dividend need not cause uneasiness, inasmuch;as the object of the course pur sued will undoubtedly be realised, and the permanent in terests of the company thereby promoted and secured. The balance available for dividend is also much diminished by a further heavy debit for compensations in respect of accidents not occurring during the past half-year, the total sum thus taken from the revenue of the company during 1863 being £21,632. This account is now virtually closed, and the directors sincerely trust that such claims may in future be averted, and that some steps will be taken in the legislature to relieve railway companies from heavy and unjust exac • Cons. In the case of this company, no expense has been spared to maintain the line, the plant, and the staff, in a state of the highest efficiency, and the accidents which led to this serious loss arose from the necessity of depending upon human agency, and ware such that no skill in the management nor any selection of materials the workmanship could have averted. Notwithstanding the loss of revenue as compared with the period of the Exhibition of 1862, the number of passengers has increased, forming the best proof that the reduction of fares and the extension of the company's suburban system have already partially realised the antici pated benefits. The season tickets have largely increased in number since the reduction of charges in January last, producing an actual increase in receipts of £6,117. The working expenses are somewhat heavier in consequence of the additional miles worked, and the opening of the Pul borough and Ford, and the Croydon and Balham lines. No sum having been placed last half-year to the credit of the permanent way improvement account, the annual charge of £7,000 is now debited to revenue. It must also be borne in mind, that as compared with the corresponding half -year of 1862, interest on additional capital, amount ing to £642,360, is charged to revenue. On the whole the amount of expenditure is satisfactory, and is not increased in proportion to the work performed. Tho line from Pulborough to Ford was opened on the Ist of August, and the Littlehampton branch on the 17th of the same month. The former affords the anticipated facilities for the separation of the Brighton from the coast traffic, and the service between London and the western portion of the coast lines. Steamers are already running between Littlehampton and the Channel Islands, and a communication with other ports may shortly be expected. The directors have made the necessary appli cation to Parliament for the extension of the company's steamboat powers to Littlehampton, so that they may pos seas them in case of necessity, as they anticipate a conside rable traffic hereafter between that harbour and the oppo site coast of Normandy, to which it is the nearest port. The Newhaven and Dieppe steamboat service is progressing satisfactorily, and a fair augmentation of revenue may be reasonably expected from that source. The works on the South London line are making rapid progress, and by the end of the year 1864 it may be hoped that these, as well as the widening of the Greenwich viaduct, and the necessary enlargement of the London-bridge station, will be ready for traffic. There being so many projects before Parliament in the present session to accomplish similar objects, the directors desire to call the attention of their shareholders to the fact that at an early period they will be prepared to afford accommodation the want of which appears to bo so much felt ; and they are of opinion that amongst the pro posed metropolitan railway schemes, the South London line may be regarded as offering to the public in the suburbs of London the greatest possible amount of facility and accom modation ; they, therefore, feel justified in looking forward to a large revenue from this new source, and to a most favourable result from the construction of this important metropolitan line. In accordance with the terms of the last report, which received the sanction of the proprietors, the directors hare taken the necessary steps to obtain powers from Parliament for the construction of such branches as will afford the necessary accommodation to East Sussex, and to the Eastern part of Brighton. Bills have also been introduced to enable the company to complete the northern link of the Streatham, Mitcham, and Sntten lino of last year; to carry out the arrangements concluded with the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway Company as re gards the access to Victoria Station ; to extend the New Croydon line into the town of Croydon, and for other minor matters. Powers had been included in the company's l n i n o t e i c a e n s o d r Victoriartn w b n e t e w r s e e a n n d t he occupiersßal ha m o f property at Clapham-common having strongly objcted to the scheme, it will be withdrawn. The net amount of the credit of the revenve account is £132,9J4, out of which the directors recommend the payment of a dividend of 21 per cent. for the half-year, payable on the 12th of February, amounting to £122,107, leaving a balance to the credit of the current balf-year of L 10,797. 'IBA. FIC RECEIPTS FOR THE WEEK. Miles Opened. Receipts.-, Railways. 1862. Belfast and N. Counties I3G 133 Il e llast and County Down 49 49 Myth and Tyne . 28 23 B r istol and Exeter 1214 1214 - ,3-1/ Cale d on i a n Cockerrnoutli& Workington Bl Si Cork and Bandon 2O 20 Cork, Blackrock, & Passage 64 fa Cork and Youghal .. 324 321 Cornwall 6 51 531 Deeside l7 17 Dublin & Belfast Junction Dublin and Drogheda 75 63 Dublin and Meath Dab. & Wicklow and Wextd 9l/ 488 Edinburgh and Glasgow 1695 169/ Furness, &c 5O 5 Gla.s!!ow & South-Western Gt. Eastern,Nrtk.,&E.Union O 1 Great Northern 353 S Great North of Scotland 5B 58 Gt. Northn. & Westn. (Irel.) 7ll 71t 329 Gt.Southn. & Westn.(lrhad.) 37 31 321 Great Western 10561 10 Inverness & Aberdeen June SO 8 6 1 Inverness & Perth Junction 119/ 7.7 Irish North-Western 145 14. Lancashire & Yorkshire 4..)2 3034 Limerick and Ennis.. 2 41 241 26 1 Limerick and Foynes 64 Llanelly 461 4 6 1 1179 k Londen & North-Western London and Blackwall 5l 51 London & South-Western Loud. Brighton, &S. Coast 2614 26 1 London, Chatham, & Dover 72/ 25 D o . Metropolitan Extension 108 51 Loud., Tilbury, &Southend Man.,Shellield,&Lincolnsh Ranch S.Jun.&Altrincham 95 9/ M a ryport and Carlisle Metropolitan Midland (incl. N.-Western) 641 6,y 7 . 7 1 4 1 Midland Gt.Westn. of Irlud Monkland . Montnouthsh. Rail. & Canal 44 41 North British, Edin., Perth and Dundee N-Eastern and Stock. & Dart 1005 1079 1 North London 9 9 25 North Staffordshire 4 254 ()swestrY and Newton 0 42 lthymney l9l 191 52 52 I -'s Call al & P -" - V St. Ifelen's Canal & Railway -- Scottish Central Scottish North-Eastern .....• 138 Somerset and Dorset., 66 South Devon ...... 751 South-Eastern 3013 Taff Vale 57 Ulster Vale or Clwyd ...... 10 Vale of Neath ........ 321 Waterford and Kilkenny..... 31 Waterford and Limerick ..... 77 West Cornwall 271 W.Ha7tlepoolllarbr.&Rail 52 W'haven,Cleator,& Egrmnt 7 Whit c h av en Junction l:3 Whitelniven & Furness Jun 35 FOREIGN AND COLONIAL. Antwerp and Rotterdam 52 Austrian B2B Belgian Eastern Junction 2(i Bombay, Baroda, & Cen. Indh 185 Buffalo and Lake Iluron l6l Detroit and Milwaukie lBO Dutch Rhenish - - - S2B 1671 161± 185 1081 Eastern Bengal Eastern of France 1135 1302 East Indian Grand Trunk of Canada lOOO 1000 Great Indian Peninsula s`:3 495 Great Luxembourg l3l 134 Great Southern of India Great Western of Canada 345 15 M • adras• 417 447 • . Madrid, Saragossa Az Alicant.. 650 400 Northern of Canada .... ...... 91 91 Northern of France 607 6 97 44 Norwegian Trunk Ottoman . • .... 48} 48i Paris, Lyons, & Mediterrn.... 1805 1713 I'aris and Orleans 1614 1404 Pernambuco 77i Royal Danish 69 69 Sambre and Meuse 6B 68 South Austrian ... 1130 1315 . . Southern of France 770 650 Victorian lO6 351 Welland . --. 25 25 West Flanders W. and N.W. 01 France , 032 813 is 63. 1862 £ £ 1,831 1.730 625 597 1,807 1,213 5,070 5,090 18.354 10.28 t) 224 242 3:39 302 117 117 423 318 1,277 1,053 2'4 221 1,230 1,267 1,421 1,270 131 123 2,061 1,405 7,261 6.83 2,874 2,712 7,468 7,032 28,083 26,665 31,637 26,882 1,615 1,753 - 399 397 7,290 7.321 51,138 50.213 1,053 526 1,141 I",',W 1,608 34,250 31,12 ) 136 138 78 101 588 437 86,965 78,032 1,561 1,609 17,136 16,592 12,•60 14,343 3,858 2 524 755 155 1,012 067 15,676 13 849 1,218 1,060 1,?" 0 1,381 1,861 2,3)6 42,266 37,988 4,188 4,077 1,509 1,574 2,583 2,315 11,869 11,006 48,517 15,391 2,965 3,097 7 , 1475 7,545 1,008 861 880 820 2,167 1,914 4,578 4,276 5,000 4,772 501 284 2.'•86 2,861 17,753 17,208 5,5' , 9 4,727 2,479 2,108 155 171 2,312 1,801 :398 4: 1,300 3,2 661 614 3,061 562 561 E 39 t 07 897 740 1,121 995 22,743 21,315 301 263 2,031 1,930 2,300 1,377 4,010 3,240 3,951 3,535 48,335 48,009 16,453 8,069 19,121 19,551 10,S;1 7,633 3,387 3,579 528 518 10,339 1'7,632 4,885 3,321 1,058 (181 47,113 48,559 91,112 14,420 50,757 51,466 708 - 1,318 1,350 66,1108 75,180 22,396 20,819 083 925 37M1 35,049 THE MURDER, AT LEOMINSTER, APPREHENSION OF TIIE HUSBAND. LEomixsTEp., Friday. An invest was holt! at the workhouse this morning, be fore Mr. N, Lanwarne, coroner, and a respectable jury, on the body of Mary Ann Watkins, who was found cruelly murdered in afield on Moniay last. The husband, who was apprehended yesterday afternoon, was present during the inquiry. David Lipacombe, a person living on his own property, at Stoke Prior, said—On Monday evening I was going home through an orchard, and heard a moaning noise on the other side of the hedge. I stood still and then the moaning ceased. On hearing it again more distinctly I went in the direction of the sound, and then found in a field a woman weltering in her blood. Her face was in a pool of blood, and I put my hand under her chin and lifted her head round. After I placed her head on her arm she seemed to breathe more freely. I then went fur assistance. The place where I found her was about 400 yards from Strawberry Cottage, where I went for the gardener, who lives there. He brought a lantern, and we both returned to the body, and the gardener put the lantern to the women's face, and said it was Mary Anne Watkins. We then went to her lodgings and told the people there what had occurred. We next went for the Constable Bale, and returned to the woman, who was after wards removed to the union. She had no bonnet on when I saw her. I mot no ono previous to seeing the body. It was a moonlight night. James Lane, who lived very near, stated that he was called by Lipscombe to go to the place where the body was, and with a lantern recognised the woman as Mrs. Watkins. He suspected that it was her because she had expressed fear of her husband, who had threatened her so much that wit ness often accompanied her home to guard her. George Smith, the mar, at whose house the woman lodged, was examined, and he stated that on frequent occasions her husband had uttered threats against her life, and the lives of two others, including the life of the youngest child. They often had words together but never came to blows. He charged her with immoralities, but wanted her to go and live with him again. For some months past he had been loitering about, and on one occasion he had behaved in a most eccentric manner, threatening to destroy himself. Thomas Jones deposed that on last Monday night the prisoner came to his house at Stratford, about three-quarters of a mile from the spot of the murder, at about a quarter to ten o'clock. He was then in an excited state. He, hew ever, had a pipe of tobacco, and then began to talk of his wife, saying that he was just going up to Smith to ask his wife to come to live with him. Upon going away he said perhaps he would never see him again, as he had a good mind to jump into the brook. Mr. Alexander deposed that he was superintendent of he borough force, and went to the spot directly after the information of the murder was received, and on going to the field he saw a pool of blood. The same morning, with the aid of lights, they distinctly discovered peculiar clog marks up and down the path, and near one gate were clear indications of a man with clogs having sat down in a hedge. There is a path en each aide of the hedge, and clear marks of the person with clogs having walked up and down seve ral times. The impression of the clog was so peculiar it could not be mistaken, and in the fallow field there were the marks of two persons, one with clogs the other with female boots, having walked the whole length of the path up to where the struggle commenced. Neat day these footmarks were taken up. The bonnet of deceased was found in the hedge, and there were other indications that she fell head foremost into the hedge. A hair-net was also found near. The tracks of the prisoner were traced for three days, and he was ap prehended about six miles from Leominster, at the farm house known as Haven, in the parish of Dilwyn. He was standing at the door asking for cider, and ho had been talk ing with Mrs. Bray about the murder, stating that the man who had done it had drowned himself. He denied the murder. He (witness) examined the clothes of prisoner and found blood on them in several places. The marks of blood were very distinct. The clogs produced were taken from the feet of the prisoner, and they corresponded with the impres sions. Several other witnesses were examined, including Mr. E. Goddard, tho surgeon, the evidence of whom tended to bring home the crime to the prisoner. The jury ultimately returned a verdict of Wilful Murder, upon hearing which tho prisoner cried, and said he wanted to see his wife. Fatal Accident on the London and South. Western Railway. EXTRAORDINARY CASE. Last evening Mr. Bedford, coroner for Westminster, re• sumod an inquiry at King's College Hospital relative to the death of Samuel Ward, a French polisher, lately residing at Mortlake, who died from injuries received at the Mort lake station of the said railway on Monday, the 11th inst. Mr. Crombio, the secretary, attended on behalf of the company, and Mr. A. Haines for the friends of deceased. Upon the reassembling of the jury last evening the following evidence was adduced : Wm. Gregory, of 18, Albion-road, Wandsworth, said he was a traveller, and was a passenger by the Richmond train on Monday, the 11th inst. He got into the train at Rich- mond at 6 30, as did also the deceased. Sat opposite the de• ceased, who appeared quite sober. The first thing that at tracted his attention was a call out on the platform at Mort lake, and he saw the carriage door open and the deceased was gone. Had not seen him rise from the scat. The train was then itt motion. At no time had the train stopped before he saw the deceased was missing to allow of anyone getting out. Mr. Haines said he had half a dozen witnesses who could prove deceased d.d not get into the carriage at Richmond. The Coroner said they had better be called. Wm. Beat, residing at Twickenham, said the deceased was with him, at Twickenham from half-past 4 till ten mi- nutes past 6 on the day in question. He was sober. When he left witness he did not say where he was going. He was then a mile and a half from the Richmond station. By Mr. Haines—Deceased could not have reached the train at Richmond at the time stated after he left witness. Henry Joseph Lawder, a builder at Richmond, said he saw deceased arrive at Richmond at half-past 6 in the train from Twickenham. Did not speak to him, as the window of the carriage was closed. Charles Wilkes said ho attended to the book stall at Twickenham station, and saw the deceased at the station when the trai4 arrived, but did not see hire get into the car riage. Several other wituessos wtre then called, but their evi• dance was most contradictory. The Coroner said that it had been alleged by the friend. of deceased that the train had stopped at Mortlake station sufficiently long to allow of the passengers to alight, and that then it proceeded onwards for 40 yards, and then again stopped. After a long legal discussion, Mr. Walton, a gentleman living at Wandsworth, said he was a passenger by the train, and did not notice that the train stopped more than once at the Mortlake station. After the accident ho saw the carriage, the wheels of which were on the body of the deceased, lifted bodily off the man. Richard Barrow, also a passenger, gave evidence to a similar effect. The Coroner said the question for the jury was whether the train had been stopped and then started again in such a manner as to jeopardise the lives of the passengers. If they thought so then the company should produce evidence as to that point. The jury decided upon taking the evidence, and Mr. White, the station master at Mortlake, said the train came into the station at a very steady pace, and he heard some one call out "A man under the wheel." Went down the platform and found deceased under the wheel of a carriage The carriage was uncoupled, and deceased was removed. By the Coroner—Did you see the train stop and then go on again? He should have seen it if it had. A large number of the company's servants were then tendered by Mr. Crombie on behalf of the company, and the engine -driver, fireman, and two guards of the trnin, all of whom prov3d that the train stopped properly at Mortlake. The Coroner then summed up at great length, and told the jury they would say whether this was an accidental death, or that there had been sufficient negligence to cause the death and make any person responsible, or they could return an open verdict. If there was any negligence proved they would say who was responsible ; but if they carefully considered the evidence it must appear to them whether there was suf ficient evidence as to the improper starting of the train. The jury then returned a verdict—" That the deceased died from injuries received by falling from a carriage step at the Mortlake station of the London and South-Western Railway, but as to how the deceased came to fall there is not sufficient evidence to show." The jury added—That they did nc•t consider there was neglect on the part o i the company. The inquiry then closed, after a lengthened sitting. THE ACCIDENT TO THE CHIEF ENGIDIEER, OF THE HELLENIS.—Mr. J. P. Williams, late chief engineer of the steamship Hellenis, died in the hospital at Plymouth during Wednesday night from the injuries ho received at sea on Tuesday morning, through having his arm caught in the multiplying gear. An inquest was held on the body on Thursday afternoon, when a verdict of accidental death was returned. • [A DVERTIS EMENT.3 —Holloway's Ointment and Pills have over and over again proved the best friends to persons afflicted with ulcerations, bad legs, sores, abscesses, fistulas, and other painful and complicated complaints. Printed and very plain directions for the application of the ointment are wrapped round each pot. llolloway's alterative pills should be taken throughout the progress of the cure to maintain the blood in a state of perfect purity, and to pre vent the health of the whole body being jeopardised by the local ailment. Bad legs, old age's great grievance, are thus readily cured without confining the patient to bed or withdrawing from him the nutritious diet and generous support so imperatively demanded when weakening dis eases attack advanced years or constitutions evincing pre mature decrepitude. Persons in debt may obtain instant protection against bnprisonment or seizure of their goods, and an entire release from all debts and liaLilities without publicity, by application to Messrs. Marshall, solie tors of the Court of Bankruptcy. Charges under £5 payable by easy instalments. Offices— (established 1830), 12, liatton-garden. City branch—O, &tor gate-street, SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC jOURITALS, Tiaus.—The s::.si)a of the tho Stu:o of New York r, of on the sth of tnuary. Tao Senate, having leg.Llly organised itsolf before the House oz Reprosantatives, commenced business by receiving the Message of Mr. Seymour, the Go vernor. Those politicians who believe that an Ame rican State stands in the same relation to the Federal Government as an English county to the authority of the Crown may enlarge and correct that idea by a perusal of this official communication. Except foreign diplomacy and the management of the Post office, it includes as many points of pubic interest, and is as closely connected with the national policy, as the Message of the President to the Federal Con gress. The State has its treasury, its finance, its army, is charged with the defence of coasts and harbours, and the Governor for the time being cor responds on almost equal terms with the central power and its civil and military officers. Since Mr. Seymour was elected as Governor he has been re quired to do more with the means at his command than the Federal authority could accomplish, both for the city of New York and the neighbouring State of Pennsylvania. To have suppressed a dan • gerous insurrection in the city, and aided the resist ance to an invasion of a bordering territory, enables an authority sometimes called local to take the posi tion of a strong ally of the central power rather than of the representative of a subordinate province. For these reasons, independently of all political theories, the tone and matter of the Message of the Governor of New York have not the least resemblance to that of an address by a Lord Lieutenant at the Quarter Sessions of a county. The election of Mr. Seymour was an unexpected protest against the Administra tion of the President and the Republican party; but though there may be many Democrats who secretly condemn the whole policy of the civil war asstrongly as they blame its management, they outwardly ac• cepted the confliot as a necessity. As a party they are the advocates both of war and peace, consequently the South has from the first rejected the alliance they offered. They have obtained no material in flaence on events, but they have done some service as unsparing critics of the proceedings of the Federal Government. They have spoken, when all other voices were silent, against extending the war beyond the first avowed purpose. They would regain the territory of the South, but not devastate it or exterminate the white population, and they have clearly pointed out the political dangers a long continuance of hostilities will bring on the North itself. Against their judgment and predictions nothing can be alleged, except that the first has had no result, and the latter are disregarded. Some of the facts, however, that Mr. Seymour states offi cially are very important, and may have more effect hereafter than his opinions, which, like all the opi nions of a minority in America, are borne down by mere force of numbers. In the first place, the con tributions the State of New York has made to the cost of the war, for bounties to volunteers, the pur chase of arms, and other expenses, have left a defi ciency in the State funds of a million sterling, which must be covered by a loan. In expenditure the State is running fast in the same direction as the Federal Government—towards debt. Though the city of New York itself exhibits such an unnatural flush of prosperity, the Governor finds something to check its pride in the condition of the shipping in terest of that great commercial port. Most of the American carrying trade has now passed into the hands of foreigners, By the last return Mr. Sey mour quotes the value of the cargoes carried in American ships as only half that of the merchandise imported end exported ander foreign flags. But he passes lightly over such topics, leaving the figuree to speak for themselves, to dwell more forci bly on the measures of the Federal Government which have injuriously affected all classes of the community. He gives the first place to the con scription. He insists that volunteering, stimulated by high bounties and increasing pay, is the only means by which men can be obtained for the North ern armies. The conscription has been a failure from the outset. " It wrought a change in the public feeling with regard to military service, and all, with out respect to political views, tried to evade its opera tion." The quota of the State of New York was 68,000 in'en, To procure this number 77,862 conscripts were examined, with the rather alarming result that no less than 53,000 were found unfit for military duty, and exempted for " physical disabilility and other causes." The number who paid commutation money was 14,000; substitutes were purchased by 6,619, and out of the whole draught of nearly 78,000, only 2,557 conscripts were actually " held to service." The repeated postponements of the second conscrip tion appears to confirm Governor Seymour's asser tion that it is impossible to enforce such a measure in the Northern States. He says it not only fails to recruit the armies, but is "opposed to the genius of the American political system," alienates the people from the Government, and blights the industry of the country. The reorganisation of the Militia of every State as a reserve, and volunteer enlistments for bounties and pay, rising with the wages of labour and the depreciation of the cur rency, are the remedies proposed for these evils. But against the more distant political danger of makieg the Federal Government by a long war a great military Power he can do little more than warn his countrymen. Supported by Congress and the army, it has already " wrought a revolution," through which the Republic is passing almost blind to its significance. The people are living under a military Government, which claims the highest prerogatives, and founds them on " martial law and military necessity." This revolution, " if permanently accepted," will be an overthrow of the whole Republican system. He hopes the people will return to the principles " from which they have been drifting," when they have seen more of the nature and results of a military despotism, but is evidently alarmed by their present apathy. If anything will rouse them from it, it will be the em ployment of the army as a machinery for the elec tion of Presidents. This danger Mr Seymour thinks is by no means remote. Supposing any of the Con federate States are conquered or occupied, the army by which they are held must be still maintained. Then, under the conditions of Mr. Lincoln's last Proclamation, one-tenth of the population in any such State may by taking an oath of allegiance bring it into the Union again, or fix new boundaries, and come in as a new State carved out of the old one. As such it will have two votes in the Federal Senate, and political influence equal to the State of New York itself. The States so formed would re present the interest of the power that created them. They would not only govern the territory mapped out by Executive decree, but the North also. Four teen hundred citizens in Florida would " balance in the Senate" the whole population and wealth of New York. " Less than seventy thousand voters in the nine States mentioned in the President's Pro clamation would wield a power sufficient to weigh down that of nine most prosperoua States of the the Union." This, with the nominal States already created in Eastern and Western Virginia, would, Mr. Seymour asserts, create so "many rotten b oro ughs" which would govern the Union, and de stroy the representative system of the Republic altogether. "It would be a dangerous invasion of the rights of the majority of the American people; it would enable an Administration to perpetuate its power." Without expressly stating it, Governor Seymour implies that this is really the object of President Lincoln's offer of pardon and amnesty to the people of the South. Of peace, as at present sought, he has no hope ; but he has forebodings of a war carried on to exhaustion, national bankruptcy, and ruin. H© calls now for statesmanship to avert the many calamities impending ; yet he can only propose to moderate the unscrupulous policy of the extreme Republicans. As a "war Democrat," he can go no further. But had the whole party ex pressed their full convictions in time, they mi g ht have had some chance of reversing it, PoST.—We believe that early next session a measure will be introduced by her Majesty's Mini sters to alter and extend the jurisdiction of the county courts. The history of the course which the Legislature has adopted in reference to this class of tribunals is curious and instructive. The great and comprehensive scheme which Lord Brougham pro posed more than 30 years ago was defeated princi g,updlcaon urs f o t princi pally through the opposition of the bar, who thought that Westminster Hall and the bwroiunlgdingbehodineseetroteedveirfyLmoarnd,s doorßroo cheap ps superior sub stantial justice could be accompli s h e d . The credit, however, of having induced Parliament to confer upon the people the benefit of the county court system was reserved for a layman, the late Mr. Henry Fitzroy, who in the year 1845, in spite of the p ol i t o a p n p o a s t i t t o i o r n n e a y n s d , di s e Ile l c i s k e e d o e t d i hba n e carryingr and o f the m e tact.ro 'k e e county shir e ni ocourt, establishedin reality, by King the Alfred, me . re revival w hi which, f , in the progress of time, had been so popular that Parlia into disuse. These permitted to fall new nae tribunals t fromt speedilyhe year becam elBs ha s on various occasions increased their jurisdiction both es to amount and also by adding additional powers. For example, little more than two years ago every county court was converted into a court of bank ruptcy in cases where the amount of debts did not exceed £3OO, and thus a great boon has been con ferred upon small tradesmen, who have been spared the needless expense of travelling up to London or to the district court to prove a debt or to oppose a dishonest debtor. The experiment would, we be lieve, have worked more successfully if a simple bankruptcy machinery had been supplied to the county exerts in place of the costly and cumbrous processes which may still be requisite in Basinghall street whenever a great commercial estate has to be administered. It may therefore be hoped that in the preps rittiou of the new measure thin point of -7—.7....., —.....—.....—.....................-- the simplifying the bankruptcy in3chinel. n.f ° it county courts will receive consideratio is toies .eto must ho borne in mind that bankreP the county courts seldom produce enough 00,,,,c0 1 o pay the fees of the officers, and that those fees then either fall upon the funds of the 13v: 1101431' v. Court, or are charged upon a Parliamentary v 5,,,, On various occasions it has been j ar ;: the upon the county courts a small equitable tion to relieve persons residing at a distance .--..,.0 country from the expense and trouble of lis` t i r r, gn ified ( 1 ,_,, r0 trifling questions determined by so di PerhaP3tlan't/ banal as the High Court of Chancery. is on principle no more reason why the o u s 0 such naattertich court should not ha entrusted with administration summonses, as the juriodictioe ;utile it now exercises in certain charity case s ; 11 ' s the difficult is this, the court does not poiFI - Q o a proposed to conf er machinery requisite for conducting. ingt lsl ` . : t her taking accounts, and it may ba doubtful viie..,ith wed ‘ r ' s o f county court judges are generally endorsed those rare gifts which would in Ike them nissttebero equity as well as of common law. We nilis d . sp as point out an injustice which has been inflict e , fee s, these learned personages. Paid origll, u t i le of the amount of salary received by each ° i t ' ll , course varied in proportion to the business j e st j o conce ed: ,.. acted, and this being found extremely and Th unequal, the following rule was sti°, o .cee The judges in the metropolitan district, a nd o ber tai„ large towns in the country, where the 05 1,6 00 of plaints exceeded a certain average, bad , fe st. a year, and all the other judges i1,0,11/fujtele Subsequently it was determined that in r E heref appointments, the salary should be £1,200 a year. L ,I 3; or Is obvious. The Legislature has year siL e 'd;tieo whether in London Theel°4st increased, both in amount end difficulty, th e 01 0 of these gentlemen, but it has not sada' 6 , i r elge fraction to their salary. The county O tl a tiosi stationed in a pleasant agricultural dis:1;001111 hold his court eight or ten times in the " - des° whilst his brother located in the midst of to cot manufacturing or mining population bee, i bott every day in his life except Sunday. en: ; cases the remuneration is exactly the 1 " -- ; :t . /IP therefore, may also be expected that this P° l - ie air not escape the attention of the Treaserl,l `.." 0 006 pensers of the grant, or of the House a .n., to the members of which surely cannot ue bo tb a , underpay public servants whose value O n pole s " and re estimated h. by the increasing duties ilities which Parliament has throWn oPr l i o oes: But there still remains to be considereuWhie; section with the county courts a qtlest4"4 o', deeply affects the moral and social welfa re WI bumbler classes of the community. It is ec 4 ; g res' that as the Bankruptcy Act of 1861 has L t° , - g Cl - t M time measure abolished imprisonment for deu f 4 o olf has now arrived when the powe r ° c i c re it ! court commitment should be taken away' " „ e sPe; necessary to recall to mind the result of I gor e meat in the same direction which was ole de be° L ora 8r°,1,00 14 years ago under an act passed by It was then found that the small shopkeepn for .i give their artisan customers no credit-'ll°oltv loaf h of bread nor an ounce of tea—ssi in . g ' i lifi l l ave lost the power of putting you in Prl s h ° ; t ool e) , don't pay, I must take care to have t g - deet across the counter." It is true that the Pi n gl% then had, as he now has, the means of sere "re debtor's goods ; but in many instances tbserniololli goods, and in others the creditor abstaies 'tile 1113 , 1 ing f from a feeling of humanity for the 'i s 0" amily, knowing that, if the humble WO oO r thing. broken up, he has no chance of ever get ting eot l/e ; The county court commits a debfersoccoo cause he does not pay his chandler's OOP ;eel for necessaries supplied, but because, hslLobel:t summoned and ordered to pay, he heslitills; that order. The simple question is this ".f be °„i i i the artisan be placed in a worse posities n 1 ot P i n h o . t get credit ? When he is in emnidi i 's 1 , 61 :0 h is duty, like every honest man, to 130„,ig05,',; but let us for a moment conceive the stoPi n ;orio r . important branch of industry by one oft" „ ollS n o similes for which neither master nor Alrefribi prepared. A thousand families may be lit st,,j, of employment, and if they can get ernejr t if little shops until trade revives no Party '',,gtes h 's and the distress of an unforeseen calainitl„s"" so t ots h mitigated; but destroy credit, tell the a r tc tea,,o" is only resource is the workhouse or Wr e .,', 6 0 1 ''i; door relief, and then we believe that sc i e ", - ptie ti l , fence would occur possibly leading to ur: u e c oet y h e a criminal . prison more painful and mlt 0- 0 satin than a county court commitment" body " i to 'eyed that the county court judges as f! r iceii opposed to any change which would G e rd ► P:o poor . man of fair and reasonable c redit ; f i vef el t o being so, we trust that this point also W i l ioo e l that calm and deliberate consideration W.,40" interests of the working classes of this coll;" demand. ___......, COUiliT ... l±Y2l ._ ________T Of LIVERPOOL—Fitin yihe i (l foo l i SI r ii i c rek There was a very poor attendancewheat, _,4501 and bt a mall business ws one. I , csi-, A Indian u corn s met a slow sale, a at last Friday r, r p- Oats and oatmeal quiet. Beans the turn dead barley very dull, and declined a shade. W AKE FFIE „ a ill,e; r vf Wheat in fair supply to-day. Trade quiet f c li, made were at rather lower prices than last Fri t ide!' a dull sale, and rather lower in price. Other tir late rates. Averages for the weep 0 /e l Wheat 1,362 qrs., at ........ .....,$ t o Rye — ....... 33 5 l oti Beans 3O ........ 3,9$ c id Oats BB ........ 31 6 so Peas .... 55 . i ....... : 310 8ar1ey......... :714 - ' LINCOLN—Faun:a. jget Atfair quantity .ast ,70 and prices as follow : of wheat on offer at our - to, 40 avi . ~ m g, . ',;;;s tO 40 White wheat new, 43s to 47s Barley, g ril 7,.•'‘lS ' i t°, l '. % Red do. Old white 4os to 42s Oats, old. •• 0 . 400 t0 4 00 Red do. sto —s New!do.. • • .•to .•• . 0 , Barley, sto --s Beans....•• • ' . 0 Ea_alt...i , g 3-18 to 378 I Bette, ilelitil -- ...... 56 0°1 09 STAMFORD—FutIaIa• per 0 pet ~ ' f Barley, wheat, 41s to 43s ; red, 38s to '!, 1 4 to 3 , 1 0 ,-$ I ' I '. rleY, malting, 31s to 36s • rinding, " id 400' oats, 13s to 24s per 21 stone. g ßealA 66 ' 'lr. ; new, 3ls to 368. }lc a —....... ,„ T DO' a tile ( r l BRISTOL SUGAR ---r' t 51/ f o ili $ .0., ice s r ce il The raw sugar market continues ver) i at pr bie. 0 of the week have been most limited, av,,,4510,, 5 ..i;e o ' to is per cwt. lower. Refined goods 0 0 ..---; ftiu r at lower rates. hum sells steadily, a t Ter -1 ~.tet, !, COAL I\l.oS.° : al e 111 , ' !: Priors oi_Coal per Ten at the close 0 ' l'' u d Buddle'sWest Hartley 18 9 . / wad '' . : o Cuwpen HartleY Hastings A--.....' 18 9 golywc" ", 3. Ships at market, ___-- t e Foreign Mail Packet PP .--4.---- - 1:' felP 0. MAILS DUE. „..•'l 4 4eD's •, Australia and Mauritius, via Southaulpto ' ~ 'pi,- j g, via Marseilles • •"' ~,-.0, 14 drazil and Cket..•" h Cape Cape Verds, by British pa°, Below y e-' pe of Good Hope Ascension,and St. t oo. o , ' China, Penang, and Singapore,via soil' °ll s . j 0 •' 6 via ma„eille ' , 4 ' .. .•' JO 1 Falkland Islands ........ ~ .0,.,4. Gibraltar, via South ................... n .. t 0" 01 3 ' '.:t; India (Calcutta), and aCeylon, via •Southrtt,A- °...../101. via Noon ° .. i i.', . I , 0, India (Bombay), via Southampton ....... „.•:fel'• via Marseilles .......... • ~ ~i , Portugal.... ..................... ".1,40,•,), [aim, Egypt, and Aden, . ;it; Soutliamptou.A...., , ,„ via I'qm-seines ... . ..Jo'. m, Newfoundland ........ .0..j0. Oporto and Vigo .............. . ...... ...' 0' U. S. and British N. America, by Bri t ' P ack l:et.•'' J°l o ' by U.S. pack voltokfelPil, by Colad'—' „.•'feD.os, W.C. of Africa, Madeira and Teneriffe .... ~..1 0 , ' , Bahamas, via New York ' .............. • : ~.," so , Mexico .............................. 'Yerill i / , All parts of West Indies, including Cliili, .... ,/ California. and British Columbia. ...... • __..' _____----____------------ /Jr ° Births. yeeP ruse , , cf i ' Am.ty,—On the 21st inst., at the Vica ••• vit , Atlay, of a daughter. BECIIEtt.—On the 19th inst. at IlollY11,1:145:':r, Ireland, the Lady Emily Becher, of a tit' f r o, L' JONES. —On the 21st inst., at Derry 00 31 4, 00' shire, the Lady Elizabeth Inglis Jones , ll ‘ ,„1 3 0 . Marriages. : 0 t `Sitro . a t SA' ll ., - ,,e 1, ID BRENEL—NOBLE.—On the 21st inst., at 13P-,ioslpr Church, Newcastle-upon-Tync, Isae4ooolo 9.vot M.A., of Balliol College, Oxford , taw- Brunel,•'-' s'lll'ter° eldest son of the late Isambard li. pa 0 49 F.R.S., C.E., to Georgina Geils DonaA , . 0 0 1 0 late George Noble, Esq., of Greenock.. , var roW„,eo r let Cox—BLAGRAVE.—On the 21st jus' .aats'd stip P • Church, Talbot Ashley P, Cox, CaPt''l_ / lend Agnes Dorkoy. eldest daughter of Jolla •• Esq., of Barrow C ourt, Somersetshiro. 11 ft ~ , Deaths. 4 04 „ 0, +, 5 .1% , , t oo DusLor.—On the 21st inst. at St. Georg e , dJiob 4' Archibald Dunlop, Esq., fonnerlY oi. I° co tlt' ' S „,,,f,A,,, oP ' 82. S t . GeOrib-pgw, FIELDING.—On the 20th just., 4 a, s t ~/ fave r 4e. (0' 4 bury, Augustin Fielding, sen., L 4 ' rs o r ' 62.'taste 4 0 N o Gerrard,p" P 54 j e GERRARD.--011 the 22d inst., a. - ' Upper Hyde-park-gardens, Robert olt 4 77. . r . rea rth , A O' . lIOOAETII.—On the 21st inst., John li. ..., ils p ney-green, Mile-end, aged 64. bridgc"c° ' / LLOYD.—On the 20th inst., at Tun COI Lloyd, Esq., KM. , su rrei , TArLOR.—On the 21st inst., at AlbtarY ~i i , o, ) _,-,- s io',oo John Taylor, late Madras A.riny. I _ ---.,;0 11) ;4 0, 4g; ------ - - - ---- -- ; 1 , - DIA° . t ile , ' A O' London: Prin:,ed and ruNished by 0-, 60 0_ e ca • of No. 112, Strand, rrinter, at e 'r ; l l :_,,,, in tP Strand, in the Precinct of the :: ,.., 7 0 , taliddle —SattlrdAy, Jallt43rY 4 ........